Artwork
Hermann Struck in Uniform
Hermann Struck in Uniform is a gouache drawing by Lovis Corinth. It dates from 1914 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:center left in pen and brown ink: Lovis Corinth / 1914; by later hand(?), upper right in graphite: (not deciphered)
About this work
Technique & Style
These stylistic qualities reflect Corinth’s approach to portraiture, blending realism with a light touch that underscores the intimate character of the work.
The drawing was executed in gouache on wove paper, a medium that yields a soft, matte surface and allows for delicate tonal modulation. The support, typical of early twentieth‑century draftsmanship, contributes to a crisp handling of line and subtle gradation of shading. Formal elements emphasize a restrained compositional balance, with the figure rendered through controlled brushwork that highlights the sitter’s uniform and posture.
These stylistic qualities reflect Corinth’s approach to portraiture, blending realism with a light touch that underscores the intimate character of the work.
History & Provenance
Hermann Struck in Uniform is a 1914 gouache portrait of Hermann Struck by Lovis Corinth, executed on wove paper. The work later passed through the trade of Kunsthandel Wolfgang Werner KG in Bremen before entering a private collection in Innsbruck. In 1999, the drawing was acquired by the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., where it remains in the institution's drawings collection.
The provenance chain traces from the Innsbruck private collection through the Bremen dealer and into the NGA via a 1999 purchase, with no documented commission or early ownership details beyond these later transfers.
Hermann Struck in Uniform has been part of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. since 1999, when it was purchased by the institution.
Prior to that acquisition, the gouache passed through the Kunsthandel Wolfgang Werner KG in Bremen and was held in a private collection in Innsbruck.
The work is catalogued in the National Gallery of Art's drawings collection under accession number 108380.
Overview
Hermann Struck in Uniform is a 1914 gouache drawing on wove paper by Lovis Corinth, depicting the artist and printmaker Hermann Struck in formal attire.
Subject & Meaning
The portrait captures Hermann Struck, a contemporary of Corinth, in a serious expression and uniform, reflecting Corinth's interest in portraying individuals from various backgrounds.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Lovis Corinth (21 July 1858 – 17 July 1925) was a German artist and writer whose mature work as a painter and printmaker realized a synthesis of impressionism and expressionism.
Arab Lad
Study of a Jockey
Stéphane Mallarmé, No. 2
A Caucasian (Batumi)
Charles Keene as a Volunteer
Portrait of a Wounded KNIL Soldier
Selbstbildnis (Self-Portrait)
Poilu and Tommy Conversing
a) Le replis boche (recto); b) Sketch for the Figure of the German (verso)
Piippua polttava mies
Sketch of a Man- A Wounded Soldier and His Comrade